Grain
Glass noodles
วุ้นเส้น
Also called woon sen, mung bean vermicelli, bean thread noodles, cellophane noodles, fensi
Thin dried noodles made from mung bean starch and water. White and wiry in the packet, they turn clear, slippery and springy once soaked and boiled, which is where the name comes from.
Origin
Chinese in origin and now made across East and South-East Asia. Korean dangmyeon looks similar but is made from sweet potato starch and is thicker and chewier.
Flavour
Almost none. They are there for texture and to carry a dressing or broth, and they soak up whatever they sit in.
How to use it
Soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then boil for one to two minutes until clear. Snip them shorter with scissors. Use them in Thai yum woon sen, hot pots, spring roll filling and stir-fries. Overcooked, they go to slime, so watch them.
Storage
Dry noodles keep a year or more in the cupboard. Cooked noodles keep a day in the fridge but firm up and stick together.
